


and now for something completely different

by mamiana



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/M, Not Beta Read, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:20:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mamiana/pseuds/mamiana
Summary: Wherein, King Micah is trans. This fic is another attempt at a "what-if?" scenario, without directly contradicting established canon. The story explores how Micah could have used sorcery to physically transition to male. It also explores the possibility of Micah being biologically unrelated to Glimmer, as she is conceived via donor.  See notes for more information.
Relationships: Angella/Micah (She-Ra), Micah & Shadow Weaver | Light Spinner (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	and now for something completely different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The concept appeals to me for three major reasons. First, I just like the idea of Micah being trans. Of course, there’s really nothing to indicate that he is trans. It’s not like he’s trans-coded. I just like the concept. Second, I find the magic system of the She-Ra universe quite under-developed. It was interesting to try to think of the mechanics behind certain forms of shape-shifting. Third, I really like the idea of Glimmer not being related to him. It would be an interesting subversion of the “born from greatness” trope if she did not inherit her powers from Micah. Rather, they come from herself. It also adds depth to their family dynamics if he is not biologically related to her.
> 
> This first chapter is rated 'General'. The only characters featured are Shadow Weaver (Light Spinner) and Micah, in a flashback. There is no explicit content.

“Hey, Light Spinner! _Light Spiiinnnneerr!_ Wait up!”

A young, boyish voice called from down the hallway. Light Spinner rolled her eyes, then turned around. “What is it, Micah?” 

“Can you teach me shape-shifting?” Micah asked, with a grin.

Light Spinner placed two fingers to the bridge of her nose and sighed, “For the last time, NO. Micah, I cannot teach you shapeshifting. The guild does not allow it.”

Micah pouted, then asked with a big smile, “...Please?”

**“Micah.”** Light Spinner said, sternly. “I’ve had quite enough of your stubbornness. Return to your quarters” 

“Aw, man…” the third-year groaned. As she watched Micah walk away, down the hall, her expression softened. She shook her head. _What was she to do with that child…_

A hint of smile was hidden by her veil. 

***

Light Spinner returned to the study, wounded by her last meeting with the Sorcerer’s Guild. The Horde’s forces now threatened the Kingdom of the Scorpioni, but Mystacor’s lame duck “leaders” stood by their conservative isolationism. When Light Spinner spoke up in protest, she was chastised with the same, tired platitudes. It was not Mystacor’s battle to fight, the Princesses would handle it. It was not an outsider’s place to speak. 

Light Spinner scowled. No matter what she did, they wouldn’t listen to her. In their eyes, she was just an outsider. Outsiders could only rise so high in Mystacor’s society. All her talents won nothing more than patronizing prizes and praises. None of those fools truly gave her respect, truly appreciated her skill, her dedication, her _power_...

Light Spinner checked over her shoulder, before unveiling a large scroll from her sleeve. If they didn’t trust her, so be it. She would devise the winning strategy on her own. Light Spinner unfurled the scroll on the large table in the room, laying a ruby gemstone beside it. _Maybe this will show them how wrong they had been._

Suddenly, a loud voice piped up.

“Hey Light Spinner!” 

Light Spinner gasped, hastily shoving the scroll in her robes. 

“Can you _puh-LEASE_ teach me Shape-Shifting?” Micah begged dramatically.

“ ** _NO!_** ” Light Spinner spun around in a fury. “ ** _Micah!_** **This is not funny anymore!** ”

Startled, Micah backed off, “Okay, okay… I’m sorry.”

Light Spinner fumed, but gradually calmed her temper. “No, Micah, it’s all right.” Try as she might, she couldn’t stay angry at her prized pupil. “You scared me. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

“ _Okayyy…_ ” Micah moped. An obvious attempt to guilt-trip her.

Light Spinner’s temper was mostly subdued. Half of her was fed up with, the other half amused by her apprentice. She raised a single eyebrow. “Why is it that you are so preoccupied with shape-shifting?”

“Because…!” Micah frowned. “...Can you promise not to tell anybody?”

“Of course, Micah,” A look of concern crept on her face. “Don’t you trust me?”

Micah paused, then nodded with sharp confidence.

“All right! The truth is… I don’t like being a girl.”

Light Spinner’s eyebrows jumped. “You want to be a boy...?”

“Yeah!...” responded Micah. “...I… I just think I’m supposed to be a guy.”

Light Spinner pondered her student’s words, then said thoughtfully. “You were always a little different.” 

It was true. Light Spinner had seen tomboys before, but her favorite student was something else. Something about Micah was markedly masculine, in mannerisms, interests, personality, energy. Strangers often mistook the young sorcerer for a boy, a mistake the child rarely corrected. The revelation was hardly a surprise, now that she thought of it.

“I’ve never felt like a girl.” Micah continued. “It’s always been this way, ever since I was a kid…”

Light Spinner chuckled. “You’re still a kid.”

Micah moped. “...Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Not at all.” Light Spinner declared. “I admit, I was a little surprised at first, but it explains a lot of things about you. If you want to be a male, you make a fine male. Although, you might consider changing your name…”

“Micah is a guy’s name.”

“...Very well.” 

Micah smiled. “Thanks, Light Spinner.” After he spoke, a sullen expression fell on his face. “To be honest, I feel like I’m the only person in the world who understands what I’m going through. I don’t think I’m ever going to really be happy until I have a man’s body. That’s why I want to learn about shape-shifting.”

“You’re not the only person in the world,” Light Spinner responded. “There are others.”

“There are?!” 

“Yes,” she said. “It is rare, but I have heard of it before. It is possible to change one’s sex using shape-shifting, but it is not so easy. The masters of shape-shifting will not be found in Mystacor. These old goats won’t teach you anything…”

Micah snorted, “Old goats…”

Light Spinner smirked, then turned her head. “...I’ve already said too much! My answer is final, Micah. It is forbidden…”

“Oh, come on!” Micah protested. “Light Spinner, can’t you just teach me?”

“In due time…” said Light Spinner, coyly, “I’ll make you a deal. Follow my every instruction, and you’ll learn all sorts of secrets to magic”

“Really?” Micah lit up. 

“Watch,” Light Spinner said, gesturing to the gemstone on the table. Micah hunched over the table, staring intently. With the beckon of her hand, the gemstone crawled across the table to Micah’s arms.

Micah gasped. “You actually moved it! How?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started thinking about the mechanics of shape-shifting in the She-Ra universe, and whether King Micah would be adept at it himself. In particular, I was curious about the transformation he underwent in Season 5, to disguise himself as She-Ra. Because we never saw him cast the spell, it is not clear whether he shape-shifted or created an illusion to do so. When the disguise was dispelled, it looked neither like the dispelling of an illusion, nor the shape-shifting that Double Trouble employs. That said, it doesn't seem like Double Trouble uses magic to achieve this. Rather, it seems to be an ability of their race. Long story short, it's open to interpretation whether the disguise was shape-shifting or not.
> 
> I tried to think of the challenges that would arise from creating a sex change spell. The easiest solution would be to imagine a pre-formulated, easy sex change. However, I thought this would be too convenient, and less interesting to write about. So I thought ways to create a logic behind shape-shifting that isn't so convenient to cast.
> 
> First, it was necessary to contrast shape-shifting with illusions. Micah should be most adept at light illusions, as he was Light Spinner's star pupil. I assume that light illusions work by bending light around the caster, tricking the eyes of those around them. Of course, the physical body is left untransformed. 
> 
> Then it was necessary to think of the logic behind shape-shifting itself. The first idea I had was for temporary shape-shifts. These temporary shape-shifts would be significantly more difficult for Micah to cast than illusions, because they actually alter one’s physical form. Still, they would come relatively naturally to him, because he has so much magical talent. This style of shape-shifting is similar to converting between Cartesian and Polar coordinates. In order to execute a temporary shape-shift, the caster creates a coordinate system for their new form. They then map their default form onto the new coordinate system, which transforms their body accordingly. This transformation drains the caster’s mana over time because it produces “magic strain energy”. Like the internal strain energy that is produced from cold working, the caster’s body wants to return to the lowest energy state -- that is, the default form. This makes it easy to revert to one’s default form. Under this system, a strong magic user could sustain a shape-shift for extensive periods of time. However, they have not really changed their default form. I thought this idea was interesting, but scrapped it because it would only allow for temporary shape-shifts. 
> 
> I came up with a second idea for permanent shape-shifts. This style of shape-shifting is not temporary, but transmutates one's default form. The spells themselves are not exceptionally difficult to cast, but are very risky. The caster must have extensive knowledge of the anatomy of the target form, to avoid becoming disfigured, diseased, or even dead. Once they undergo the transformation, the caster cannot easily revert back to their previous default form. They would have to cast another permanent shape-shift in order to resume that form. This is not as easy as it may seem, because it requires the caster to have extensive anatomical knowledge of their previous form. Perhaps sorcerers have developed work-arounds to enact various shape-shifts, but Micah did not know of those at the time. Instead, he had to learn the anatomical information from scratch.The primary reason it takes him so long to undergo permanent shape-shifts is not because he struggled with the spell-casting, but because he struggled with learning the anatomy. Neither Mystacor nor Bright Moon have the knowledge about anatomy that we take for granted in the modern, real world. The scrolls that exist are not taught publicly to children, and they are not always accurate. In theory, shape-shifts should not be able to change the caster’s mass. A shape-shift into a larger form should require the caster to consume the ingredients necessary to assume that form. As I said before, I am probably grossly overcomplicating things, to the point I actually risk breaking SPOP canon. I should be more cautious, since I'm not actually sure how shape-shifting works in SPOP.
> 
> A rough timeline of events is this:  
> \- Micah studies under Light Spinner, comes out to her as trans.  
> \- Light Spinner encourages Micah to study human anatomy, so he can permanently shape-shift to male  
> \- Light Spinner becomes Shadow Weaver  
> \- Micah uses shape-shifting to transmutate his chest and vocal chords  
> \- Micah marries Angella. Their marriage is consummated via donor sperm  
> \- Micah finally figures out how to transmutate his reproductive organs. The transformation of his gonads causes physical virilization and growth of terminal hairs. He decides not to alter his height/bone structure.  
> \- Micah is banished to Beast Island


End file.
